The　emerging　trend　towards　lightweight,　high　performance　and　emissions　reduction　is　leading　to　the　increasing　use　of　multi-material　hybrid　structures　in　electric　vehicles.　Advanced　high-strength　steel　(AHSS),　lightweight　alloy,　such　as　aluminum,　titanium　and　magnesium,　as　well　as　plastics　and　carbon　fiber　reinforced　polymers　(CFRP)　etc.　are　being　used　extensively　in　the　manufacture　of　body　in　white,　automotive　panels　and　complex　structural　parts.　Due　to　different　physical　and　chemical　properties　of　base　materials,　it　becomes　a　challenging　task　to　join　dissimilar　materials.　For　joining　of　aluminum　alloy　to　CFRP,　fusion　welding　often　produces　defects　such　as　softening,　porosity,　hot　cracks　in　the　heat　affected　zone　of　aluminum　alloy.　Moreover,　it　causes　the　CFRP　fibers　and　matrix　to　partially　burn.　Mechanical　fastening　can　also　cause　inevitable　corrosion　and　other　problems.　At　the　same　time,　battery　pack　housing,　which　is　composed　by　multi-materials,　has　a　high　requirement　for　the　joining　technology.　Accordingly,　the　use　of　optimized　composite　materials　urgently　need　the　development　of　innovative　joining　technology　with　reliable　performance,　low　cost,　and　high　efficiency　in　order　to　provide　light-weight　body　structure　for　new　energy　vehicles.　Adhesive　is　widely　used　in　aluminum　alloy/AHSS,　aluminum　alloy/CFRP,　AHSS/CFRP　etc.,　which　can　achieve　sealing,　fastening　and　anti-corrosion　effects.　As　a　newly　developed　mechanical　joining　technology,　self-piercing　riveting　(SPR)　is　more　suitable　for　joining　aluminium　alloy,　AHSS　and　CFRP　than　fusion　welding.　There　have　been　mature　studies　on　its　joining　mechanism　and　joint　strength　overseas.　Additionally,　solid　phase　welding　is　especially　suitable　for　joining　metal/composite.　The　novel　technology　and　equipment　of　refill　friction　stir　spot　welding　(RFSSW)　and　ultrasonic　spot　welding　for　joining　aluminium　alloy/CFRP　and　AHSS/CFRP　have　been　explored　and　improved　in　many　studies.　Laser　hybrid　welding　and　cold　metal　transfer　welding　(CMT)　are　mainly　used　in　the　joining　of　aluminium　alloy　and　AHSS　in　the　majority　of　automotive　enterprises.　Fasteners　are　mainly　used　for　the　joining　of　battery　pack,　while　laser　welding　of　particular　materials　is　used　for　housing　sealing.　The　paper　reviews　the　advanced　and　alternative　joining　methods　for　CFRP　to　aluminum/steel,　aluminum　to　steel　and　battery　pack　manufacturing,　ranging　from　conventional　adhesive　bonding,　weld-bonding　and　self-piercing　riveting　to　new　welding　technologies,　such　as　friction　stir　spot　welding,　ultrasonic　spot　welding,　laser　braze-welding　and　cold　metal　transfer　welding.　The　effects　of　joining　parameters　on　joint　properties　and　failure　modes　are　discussed.　The　difficulties　and　research　status　of　fatigue　life　prediction　based　on　finite　element　analysis　are　discussed.　These　joining　technologies　have　prominent　advantages　in　the　joining　of　hybrid　material　structure　of　new　energy　electric　vehicles,　but　they　still　face　the　problems　of　matrix　damage,　interface　failure,　long　welding　cycle,　expensive　equipment　and　industrial　automation　etc.,　therefore　further　research　is　required　to　completely　exploit　these　methods　in　practical　applications.　©　2019,　Materials　Review　Magazine.　All　right　reserved.